Gazelka is a friend to Camp Ripley

I have worked at Camp Ripley for more than 30 years, as a platoon sergeant and unit administrator. Camp Ripley always was and remains my extended family.

With 53,000 acres, Camp Ripley is the largest and best military training base in this great nation. Besides the training of our troops, Ripley has training of state troopers, Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota highway department. About 5,000 bow hunters hunt deer in October, as well as veteran deer and turkey hunts.

Camp Ripley pumps $140 million annually into the local economy. Local communities thrive when you’ve got a “Golden Goose” in the center of our state.

Homes are built, groceries, boats and boots are bought.

I care about Camp Ripley and so does Paul Gazelka.

Paul stood up for Camp Ripley, authoring legislation for an education training center and fought to make sure it stayed in the larger bonding bill signed by the governor this year.